Armchair

Photo: Fernando Bengoecha

Traditional
The design equivalent of a vintage Cadillac or a Cartier watch, this room is solid—all tassels and florals and curved furniture in dark, polished wood. A touch of family pride: the silver-framed photographs.

A classic but unstuffy mix of things—like fine china, swagged curtains, silver trays and lamps with pleated silk shades—looks gently used, beautifully kept. Notice how the swirling leaves and flowers of the curtain fabric are echoed in the ginger jar, pale floral carpet, fresh lilies.
Red Cabinet

Photo: Fernando Bengoecha

Modern
Minimalist but not stark, this approach doses simple, edgy shapes with bursts of color—from peppy stripes and solids to powerful black-and-white.

Skip the bric-a-brac here—the shape's the thing. A space-age white light presiding over a glossy credenza. A sleek side table. A fishbowl-inspired vase. All that simplicity lets you go crazy with color. There's already plenty going on with so many explosive shades in the mix (a carpet with bright bands averts a clash by tying them all together). A touch of whimsy: The noble Roman profile reminds you that what's old is new again.
Pheasant Armchair

Photo: Fernando Bengoecha

Country
If you want a cheerful, practical room where family and dogs can curl up on the couch, think easy furnishings, fresh prints, warm woods and cozy throws—even some rooster pillows.

If a room were a pair of well-worn jeans that fit you just right, this would be it: overstuffed armchairs, ottomans and rustic baskets. Check out the floral rug, the paisley pillows, and, yes, the pheasant-print upholstery (the many patterns work together because they live in the same color family and have the same country charm).
Pillows

Photo: Fernando Bengoecha

Global
Gauzy curtains. Lacy screens. Heaps of silky pillows. Hot pinks and sunset purples and desert reds. Here's where to go when you yearn to wander (and it's a long way to your next vacation).

Luxurious and worldly is the effect here—as if you'd picked up this stuff in bazaars and dusty little emporiums. What keeps things from getting gaudy: Furniture, light fixtures and screens are scrupulously neutral, colors are sensuous and sunny. Striped and patchwork cushions combine with an embroidered rug to dress the bed playfully. A few exotic accents add to the enchantment: palms, brass trays, a bird in a gilded cage.

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From the December 2002 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine